Operating model technology
The Due Diligence Platform runs the operating model around customer due diligence: who gets which case, in what order, under which standard, with what escalation, and with a record of every state the case passed through. Agora supplies the technology; your teams run the work.
- Case routing driven by segment, risk rating and exception type.
- Reviewer, SME, quality control and approval roles held apart by design.
- Escalation and rework loops that keep the original record intact.
- Operational management information drawn from live case state.
Why CDD operations lose control of the work
Most CDD operations are not short of process documentation. They are short of a system that enforces it. Where routing is manual, allocation depends on who is available rather than who is qualified, and the same case type is handled to different standards depending on the queue it happened to land in.
Rework is usually where the record breaks. A case is returned, corrected and resubmitted, but the system records only the final state. A reviewer looking at the file later cannot see that it failed first time, what the defect was, or whether the correction was checked.
Reporting then becomes a separate activity from doing the work. Volumes, ageing, pass rates and escalation counts are assembled manually at month end, which makes them retrospective, inconsistent and impossible to interrogate case by case.
What the workflow layer does
Configuration replaces custom code. The workflow is set up to your operating model rather than your operating model being rewritten around the product.
Configurable case routing
Route cases by customer type, risk rating, jurisdiction, exception category or any configured attribute, so work reaches the right queue without manual triage.
Role-based queues and assignment
Reviewer, senior reviewer, SME, quality control and approver roles hold distinct queues, with assignment, reassignment and workload visibility.
Status and lifecycle management
Every case moves through defined states with permitted transitions, so a case cannot skip a required step or be closed from the wrong status.
Escalation and SME referral
Configured escalation paths for complex ownership, adverse media, high-risk ratings or policy exceptions, with the referral question and the answer both recorded against the case.
Rework and recheck loops
Returned cases retain the original submission, the defect raised and the correction made, so the failure and its remedy are both visible in the record.
Sampling and reviewer accreditation
Where your framework uses it, sampling rates can be configured by reviewer, case type or risk, supporting an accreditation model in which sampling intensity reflects demonstrated quality.
Embedded checklists and standards
The applicable review standard is presented inside the case rather than sitting in a separate policy document, and the version applied is recorded.
Operational management information
Throughput, ageing, queue depth, escalation volumes, rework rates and outstanding outreach reported from live case state, drillable to the individual case.
Controls and evidence
Workflow technology is a control in its own right. It is what makes consistency provable rather than asserted.
Enforced segregation of duties
A case cannot be reviewed, quality checked and approved by the same person where your configuration forbids it, and the platform records which role performed each action.
Complete state history
Every transition, assignment, escalation, return and approval is timestamped and attributed, so the path of the case is reconstructable end to end.
Versioned configuration
Routing rules, checklists and thresholds are versioned, so a case can be assessed against the standard that was live when it was worked.
Recorded judgement
Where the outcome depends on human judgement, the rationale is captured against the case rather than inferred from the final status.
Exportable case record
The case history exports alongside the due diligence evidence, so internal audit or a supervisor sees the process as well as the conclusion.
What firms use it to achieve
Firms adopt the workflow layer to make the operation predictable and reviewable, not simply to move cases faster.
- The same case type is handled to the same standard wherever it enters the operation.
- Complex cases reach the right expertise early, rather than after a failed first review.
- Quality failures are visible in the record, with the correction and the recheck attached.
- Reporting is a view of the work rather than a separate monthly exercise.
- Capacity and ageing pressure are visible while they can still be managed.
Implementation considerations
- Map the current operating model honestly before configuration; workflow technology will enforce whatever it is given, including the wrong process.
- Agree role definitions and segregation rules up front, as they drive queue design and permissions.
- Define the defect taxonomy early so that rework data is comparable across teams from day one.
- Decide which escalations are mandatory and which are discretionary, and configure accordingly.
- Agree the management information set with the people accountable for the operation, not only with the project.
Related practitioner guidance
Related practitioner guidance on the control design that sits behind the workflow.
KYC quality assurance
First line quality control, independent testing, sampling and defect taxonomies.
Customer due diligence automation
What can be automated, and which decisions need accountable human judgement.
Regulator-defensible CDD audit trail
Decision records, configuration versioning and provenance.
Enhanced due diligence
When enhanced measures apply and how the additional steps are evidenced.
Frequently asked questions
Does Agora provide the people who work the queues?
No. Agora provides the workflow technology and its configuration. Reviewers, SMEs, quality control and approvers are your firm's own accountable staff.
Can the workflow reflect our existing operating model?
Yes. Routing rules, roles, states, escalation paths and checklists are configured rather than hard-coded, so the platform is set up to your model.
Does the workflow apply only to new onboarding?
No. The same workflow layer supports onboarding, periodic and trigger-led review, and remediation activity, so one operating model covers the customer lifecycle.
Next step
Walk your operating model through the platform
The most useful first session is a walkthrough using your own case types, roles and escalation rules, so you can see how your operating model would be configured rather than a generic demonstration.